Bucket conveyer.



N0.H725,5 7`3. 4 PATENTED APR. 14, 1903. A. L., LE GRAND.

BUCKET GONVEYER. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 8. 1902.

No MODEL. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l EN N0 MODEL.

PATBNTEDAPR, 14, 1903. t

A. L. LE GRAND.

PATENTED APRQ` 14, 1903.

A. L. LB GRAND. BUCKET CONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY s, 1902.

s SHEETS-SHEET s.

N0 MODEL.

JN': noms 21ans ca.. nwo-uma. wAsmNn'roN, p. c.

UNITED STAM-3sV PATENT FFICE.,

AUGUSTUS. L. Ln eRAND,-or wns'r P'YITrsToN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUCKET o oN'vElYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettes Patent No. 725,573, aata'Aprn 14, 1903.

Appnmionned May 8,1902.

To L7/Z whom, t may concern,.- V

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS L. LE GRAND,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at West Pittston, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Bucket Conveyer, of which thefollowing is a specication. Y

My present invention relates to lthat class of bucket conveyors which comprehendra se`- l ries of pivoted buckets having overlapping edges designed to prevent the Waste of material by the gravitation thereof between the buckets during the loading` of the conveyer.

The object of the vinvention is to provide means for preventing the buckets from interfering with each other when passing around? curves connecting horizontaland vertical runs of the conveyer and to insure the prope`r overlapping relation of thecontiguous edges of the buckets located in the horizontal runs.

Itis well understood by those skilled in the art that the arrangement of conveyer-buckets in overlapping relation is ordinarily attended by the material interference of the buckets as the conveyer passes around the tractionwheels at the intersections of the vertical and horizontal conveyer-runs and that the overcoming of such interference has inspired the production of various forms ofconveying One,

ing the buckets and preventingtheir-interference. This expedient may possibly be effective when the conveyer travels in a substantially rectangular course, so that the bucket-carrying projections are always eX- tended outwardly fromthetraction-wheels arranged within the conveyer. It is obvious, however, that this form ot' oonveyer is incapable of use when the opposite exing of the chain is made necessary by the location of a traction-wheel at the outside ofthe conveyerthat is to say, the relative movement of the bucket-carrying projections which serves to sain 110.106.485, ,(No mdem 'separate the'bu'ckets when the chain is flexed in one direction willlserve to bring the buckets closer together when the chain is flexed in `the opposite direction, with the result that the buckets will interfere and render the conveyer inoperative. A A

' My invention, on the contrary, is directed to theprodu'ctionof a novel mounting for the Vbuckets whichwill insure their proper clearan'ce 'or non-interference irrespective of the direction in whichthe chain is flexed in passing around the traction-wheels located at the juncture of angularly-related runs of the conveyer, so that the conveying mechanism may be employed not only with the conveyer-chain but also`with the runs disposed in any and all directions which may be desirable for the conveyance ofthe material from one or more Vloading-stations to one or more. points of deposit.

In'the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a view' of a l complete conveying apparatus equipped in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the mounting of a bucket and the relation of the sprockets and traction-wheels to the conveyerchain and bucket. lFig. 3 is a plan view of a bucket and its mounting. Fig. tis a detail elevation showing one oi'I the slotted bucketsupports hung from ay pair of chain-pintles and a' bucketwith one of its truunions extended into the support.l Fig. 5 is anelevation of a portion of the conveying apparatus, illustrating the manner in which the tractionwheels engage the trunnion-rollers to hold the truunions at"v the outer side of a curve around which the buckets are passing and also showing the manner in which the traction-wheels prevent the premature gravitation of the truunions as the buckets are pass- 'ing from the curve to an upper horizontal another portion of the apparatus, illustrating the manner in 'which the traction-wheels serve to positivelyshift the pivotal supports of the-buckety from onej sideof thech'a'into the other. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View showing a portion of a bucket, one of the bucket-supporting members, and one of the guard-rails.

Like numerals of reference are employed conveyer-run; and Fig. 6 is a similar' view of moving in a substantially rectangular path,

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to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

The links of the conveyer-chain 1 are preferably composed, as usual, of a pair of parallel plates 2 and 3, connected to the plates of the adjacentlink by transverse link-connectors or pintles 4, upon which latter are journaled between the ends of the linkplates the chain rollers or travelers 5, designed to travel upon the traction-rails 6, extending along one or more ot' the horizontal runs of the conveyer.

Between the conveyer-chains or the side sections of the conveyer-chain are disposed gravity-buckets 7, which may be of ordinary form and are provided with trunnions S, extending in opposite directions from the ends of the bucket adjacent to its upper edge and secured to the bucket-walls by the plates t), bolted or otherwise secured rigidly in position. The trunnions 8 constitutel pivotal supports from which the buckets swing freely, so that notwithstanding the angular relation of the various conveyer-runs the buckets will always hang properly to preventthe spilling of their contents.

Each bucket is provided with a lip 10, which overlaps the adjacent edge of the next bucket when the buckets are passing along the horizontal runs of the conveyer. These lips prevent the material from escaping between the buckets, and their utilization necessitates that close contiguity of the buckets resulting ordinarily in the interference of the latter while passing around curves. In order to prevent the interference of buckets related in the manner specied during the passage of the conveyer around curves of any character whatever, my Ainvention contemplates the provision of bucket-supporting brackets 11 and 12, movable with the conveyer-chains and located between the same.

Each of the brackets 11 and 12 is supported at its opposite ends by a pair of link-connectors or chain-pintles 4 4 (see Figs. 3 and 4) and at a point intermediate of its ends is formed with what may be termed a bearinglink 13, extending beyond the opposite sides of the chain and designed to afford elongated bearings for the pivotal supports or tru unions 8, which are laterally shift-able within the links. By the expression extending beyond opposite sides of the chain, employed to define the disposition of the bearing-links 13, is meant such location of the bearing-links as will present their opposite ends above and below the horizontal runs of the chain. This disposition of these elongated bearings is designed to produce bucket-supporting arms extending beyond opposite sides of the chain and disposed radially with respect to the axis of a traction-wheel around which the conveyer is passing. It will therefore appear that, no matter in which direction the chain is flexed in passing around a traction-wheel, laterally'extending bucket-supporting members will be located at the outer side of the curve.

We have already seen that buckets swung from the ends of arms extending outwardly from the links passing around a tractionwheel will be separated and their interference prevented by reason of the angular relations assumed by the arms'in consequence of the flexing of the chain. It will therefore appear that by extending the bearing-links 13 beyond both sides of the chain the pivotal supports or trunnions of the buckets maybe shifted so as to bring them to the outer side of the chain, irrespective of the direction in which the latter is ticked, the result being that the buckets will be properly separated and prevented from interfering during the passage of the con veyer around tractionwheels located inside or outside of the chain. It should also be noted that while the buckets are each supported from a pair of pintles of each chain they are not supported directly from the chain-links, but, on the contrary,

re provided with independent connections, which bring the weight of the bucket directly upon a plurality of pintles or link-connectors and locate the pivotal supports of the buckets in planes between the pintles and intermediate of the conveyer-chains. This structural arrangement is i mportant, because I am thereby enabled to employ au ordinary conveyerchaiu and the usual forms of conveyer-buckets in carrying out my invention without other special adaptation than the mere attachment of my novel supporting-brackets to the chains.

In Fig. l of the drawings I have shown a conveyer constructed in accordance with my invention and arranged as in use. The chains between which the buckets are swung are passed around the pairs of sprocket-wheels 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, the sprockets 18 being located outside of the chains and the other sprockets inside thereof. The conveyer moves in the direction ot' the arrow, and the buckets are charged from a loading-chute 19, which in the present instance is disposed above the lower horizontal run.

Along the upper horizontal run are located the traction-rails 6 and one or more trip-arms 20, designed to be engaged by one or more trip-lugs 21, projecting from each bucket. These tripping devices are located at what may be known as the du mping-station,and it will be noted that as each bucket is successively presented to the trip arms said bucket will be tilted to permit thedumping of its contents. `Inasmuch as the trunnions ofthe buckets are slidably mounted in the links and are located in the lower ends thereof when the tilting of the bucket is effected, it is desirable to provide guardrails 22, disposed above the bucket-trunnions at the dumping-station to prevent said trunnions from rising in the links when the buckets are tripped.

It will be noted that the tendency of the buckets is to gravitate to the lower ends of the links and that in passing from one hori- ICO IIO

zontal run Ato another, as sho-Wn at the left of Fig. -1, the dropping of the buckets from the upper to the lower ends of the links might take place prematurely and with such suddenness as to result in the severe jarring of the bucket. I therefore provide means for positively retaining the trunnions at the outer ends of the links during their passage around curves and for compelling the gradual gravitation of the trunnions to the lower ends of the links as the bucket passes from a curve to a horizontal conveyer-run. These results are attained by the association of 'a pair of traction-wheels 14, l5, 1621711, or 18 with eachpair of sprocket-wheels and located between .the latter to engage antifrictional rollers 23, mounted upon each ofthefbuckettrunnions adjacent tothe contiguous supporting brackets. Each pair of sprocketwheels and their complementary ltractionwheels are mounted on thesame shaft, and the traction-Wheels are of sufficiently-greater diameter than the sprockets to compel the bucket-trunnions to remain at the outer ends of the bearing-links during the travel ofthe buckets around a curve from one conveyerrun to another. It will therefore appear that the pivotal supports of the lbucketswill al ways be located atthe outer side of the curve no matter in which direction the chain is exed, so that the buckets will always be separated to prevent their interference in passi-ng around curves between different concend from the v traction-wheels 18 to the wheels 14 the trunnions will be located at the inner or right-hand ends of the horizontally-disposed bearing-links, and as the chain is oppositely flexed in passing around the wheels 18 and 14a it follows that in order to bring the bucket-trunnions tov the outer side of the upper curve saidtrunnions must be shifted to the opposite` ends of the links.4

In addition, therefore,V tothe functions heretofore ascribed to the traction-wheels they perform the function of positively shifting the pivotal supports of the buckets from one side of the chain to the other, so that the trunnions located at one side of the chain to bring them at the outer side of one curve will be automatically shifted to the opposite side of the chain to present them at the outer side of a curve disposed in the opposite direction. Thus the buckets will be properly supported and prevented from interfering during their passage around an yand all curves which may be necessary to give proper direction to the Y ortiner Vmeans ysaid connection bein shiftconveyer,'and as soon as the .buckets enter upona horizontal conveyer-run they will as` sume a proper overlapping relation to pre-` vent the escape of material between themf.

As an extra precaution, however; the tracvtion-rails 6 are provided with slight` dips *or depressions 24 `just beyond. `the tractionwheels 14, so as to absolutely insure the as-v sumption of their proper positions by the buckets asithey enter upon the upper horibe properly embraced within the scope ofthe protection prayed.

-IVhat I claim is- 'r i t 1 l. The combination with a conveyer-chain, of a series of pivotally-supported buckets'carried by the chain, and means for automaticf -ally increasing the separation ofthe 'bucketsupports by the exingof the chain in either direction. f Y f 2. In a conveyer, the combination with` a conveyer-chain, of a series of conveyer-buckets, and means for supporting thebuckets at points at either side of the chain.

3. In a conveyer, the combination With-a conveyer chain, of pivotally-mounted con- IOO veyerbuckets,and means for disposi-ng the pivots of the buckets at either sideof the chain, to prevent interference ofthe lbuckets while passing around curves:

4. In a conveyer,4 the combination withy a conveyer-chain, of aconveyerLbucket having pivotal connection with thechain, said connection being shiftable.

5. The combination with a conveyer-chain, of bucketsupporting meansextending .laterallybeyond opposite'sides of .the chain, and a bucket carried by said supportingmeans.`

6. The combination with aconveyer-chain, of bucket-supporting means movable with the chain, andar conVeyer-bucket having piv'- otal connection with the supporting means, said connection being shiftable.'y .1.

f 7. The combination with a conveyer-chain, of bucket-supporting meansextending beyond opposite sides ofy the chain,'and aiconveyer-bucket having connection withy the supable to opposite sides ofthe chain. v .A

8. The combination withza conveyer-chain, of a pivotally-mounted bucket,` and means for sustaining the pivotal mounting ofthe bucket 4at either. side of the chain. -s

.9. The combination with a conveyer-chain, of a bucket having a pivotal 'supportshiftable to either side of the chain without detachment therefrom.. i .y 5./

410. The combination. with a :conveyerchain, and bucket-supporting means located at opposite sides ofthe chain, of a bucket having pivotal connection with the supporting means, said pivotal connection being shiftable upon the supportin g means to locate it at either side of the chain.

11. The combination with a conveyerchain, and a slotted bucket-supporting member movable with the chain, of a bucket having a trunnion shiftable Within the slot of said member, constituting a support from which the bucket is swung.

12. The combination with a conveyerchain, and a bucket-supporting member movable with the chain and having a slot disposed transverse to the chain and extended beyond the opposite sides thereof, of a bucket having a trunnion engaging the slot and shiftable lengthwise thereof to dispose the pivotal support of the bucket at either side of the chain.

13. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and a bucket having a supporting connection shiftable -to opposite sides of the chain, of means for preventing premature shifting of said connection.

14. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and a bucket having pivotal connection th erewith,of means for positively shifting said connection.

15. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, of a bucket having a pivotal support shiftable to opposite sides of the chain, and means for positively shifting said support.

16. In a conveying apparatus, the combination With a conveyer-chain, of a bucket having a shiftable support, means for preventing the premature shifting of the support, and means for shifting the support positively.

17. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, of a bucket having a pivotal support shiftable to opposite sides of the chain, means for preventing the premature shifting of the support, and means for shifting the support positively.

18. In a conveying apparatus, the combination With a conveyer-chain, and a slotted bucket-supporting member movable therewith, of a bucket having a trunnion shiftable Within the slot of said member, and means for preventing the premature gravitation of the trunnion in said slot.

19. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and a slottedbucket-supporting member movable there- With, of a bucket having a trunnion shiftable within the slot of said member, and means for positively shifting the trunnion in said slot to transfer the pivotal support of the bucket from one side of the chain to the other.

20. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and a slotted bucket-supporting member movable therewith, of abucket having a trunnion shiftable Within the slot of said member, means for preventing the premature gravitation of the trunnion in said slot, and means for positively shifting the trunnion in said slot to transfer the pivotal support of the bucket from one side of the chain to the other.

21. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and a series of pivotally supported buckets, of sprocketwheels disposed at the junctures of the conveyer-runs, the pivotal supports of the buckets being shiftable to present them at the side of the chain opposite the sprockets as the buckets pass around the curves.

22. In a conveying apparatus, the combination With a conveyer-chain provided With bucket-supporting means extending beyond the opposite sides of the chain, of a series of buckets pivotaliy supported by the bucketsupporting means, and sprockets located at the junctures of the runs of the chain, the pivotal supports of the buckets being shiftable upon the bucket-supporting means to present said pivotal supports at the sides of the chain opposite the sprockets as said buckets are passing around the curves.

23. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and sprockets located at the j unctures of the runs thereof, of a series of buckets having pivotal supports shiftable to either side of the chain, andn means for retaining said supports at the side of the chain opposite the sprockets during.

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ofthe chain opposite the sprockets during the passage of the buckets around curves.

25. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and sprockets, of conVeyer-buckets having pivotal supports shiftable to opposite sides of the chain, and means for shifting said supports to the side of the chain opposite the sprockets, and for retaining the supports in such positions during the travel of the buckets around the curves.

26. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and sprockets, of slotted bucket-supports carried by the chain, buckets having trunnions engaging the slotted supports and shiftable to opposite sides of the chain, and Wheels engaging said trunnions to insure their location at the side of the chain opposite the adjacent sprockets during the passage of the buckets around curves.

27. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a conveyer-chain, and sprockets, of bucket-supporting members carried by the chain and having transversely-disposed slots extended beyond the opposite sides of the chain, conVeyer-buckets provided with trunnions engaging the slotted supports, rollers mounted on the trunnions, and Wheels coaXial with the sprockets and engaging the rollers on the trurinions to retain the pivotal supports of thefbuckets at the side'oi:` the chain opposite the adjacent sprockets during the passage of the-buckets around curves.

28. The combination with the conveyerchains, of bucket-supports carried by the conveyer-chains independently of the links thereof, and buckets'having pivotal connection with said supports at points intermediateofk the endsofthe links.

29. The combination with the conveyerchains-comprising the links and connectingf pintles, of `bucket-supports each carried-by a pair of said pintles, and a bucket having connection With eachbucket-support at a-point intermediate of the adjacent pintles.

30'. The combination with the conveyerchains comprising the links and pint-les, of bucket-supporting members each of which is carried by a pair of-pintles, a bucket, and trunnions projecting'in opposite directions fromfthe bucket and engaging the bucketsupporting members.

3l. The combination with a conveyor-chain comprising the links and pintles; of bucketsupporting members each carried bythe in- 'ner ends of a pair of pintles` and having a transverse slot,and a conveyer-bucket having trunnions engaging the slots of the supporting members.

32. The combination with a conveyer-ehain comprisingthe links and pintles, ofbucketsupportingmembers each carried by the inner ends ot a pair of pintles and having a transverse slot,a conveyer-bucket having trunnions engaging the slots of the supporting members, rollers mounted ron` the'trun- 35. Theconibination withaconveyer-chain, of a series of buckets carried by the chain,

and means for automatically increasing the separation of the buckets When the chain is flexed in either direction.

36. The combination with a conveyer-chain, of a series of pivotally-supported buckets carried by the chain, and means for automatically increasing the separation'of the bucket. supports when the chain is flexed in either direction.

37. The combination with a conveyer-chain,

of a bucket having a pivotal support movable in' a direction transverse-to the chain.

38. The combination withaconveyer-chain, of a'bucket having a pivotal support auto.- matically shiftable to opposite sides 'of the chain.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature'in the presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUSTUS L. LE GRAND.

Witnesses:

GEORGE DIETRICK', ALEX MCDOUGALL. 

